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Is cricket becoming just
another TV and gambling mecca? by Peter Whelan
Test status is conferred upon
a country by the International Cricket Council and Test Matches
are played between national representative teams which have "Test
status", as determined by the International Cricket Council
(ICC).
However, cricket is becoming another
TV and gambling mecca. The International Cricket Council sold
broadcasting rights for the current and the next World Cup many
dollars. Apparently, ticket sales were declining in international
test matches and was one of the resons why the ICC were deemed
in some quraters to have 'Sold Out'. The current crisis within
the international cricket community has perhaps been precipitated
by the climate of suspicion and fear surrounding the war on terror
and as a result, we are already seeing lesser number of people
watching international cricket games compared to 5 years ago.
Anothe reason for declining crowds are that the facilities for
fans inside most leading international stadiums are deplorable
to put it mildly.
Television technology, we know,
has more or less settled stumpings and run-outs in international
cricket and is one of the benefits of television as well as bringing
the sport to the masses. Not everything the ICC do is wrong, by
any means. It is greatly to their credit, for example, that they
grasped the nettle of corruption in the game, a problem that dwarfed
all the rest, and that the Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU)
decided last year to begin an education programme with all international
players and officials, starting when they are playing in Under
19 tournaments. Cricket is no longer the gentlest of games and
is more than the national pastime in some countries. Cricket is
not just the game of bat and ball, it is much beyond than this.
Cricket is a gentleman's game and still there are many of them
playing in the middle.
Peter Whelan is freelance writer
with a passion for sport.
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